Absorbent articles typically may take the form of diapers, children's training pants, adult incontinence items, feminine hygiene products, bandages and the like. Generally, all are capable of absorbing and retaining liquids, and particular body exudates, for maintaining the skin adjacent the absorbent article dry and protecting clothing or other items which may come near or into contact with the absorbent article. “Liquid”, as used herein, includes urine and viscous body exudates such as menstrual fluid and loose feces. Usually these items are disposable, but may be constructed for washing and reuse.
The absorbent article is made by making and assembling several different components which have different functions. For instance in the case of a diaper or training pant, a bodyside liner is formed of a material which is comfortable when contacting the skin, but which also is highly fluid permeable and hydrophobic to maintain a dry surface in contact with the skin even after receiving multiple insults of urine. An uptake and distribution region is formed of a material that is capable of rapidly absorbing a surge of liquid passed through the bodyside liner to remove the liquid from the area of the skin. Usually the region also functions to distribute the liquid over a larger area within the region, but does not permanently retain the liquid. An absorbent core or retention region provided to retain the liquid is positioned adjacent to the uptake and distribution region so that liquid may pass out of that region into the retention region where it is held for the remainder of the time the diaper is in use. A barrier region defines the exterior of the diaper and is substantially liquid impermeable, but is desirably vapor permeable to enhance breathability of the diaper.
Conventionally, the various regions described are formed separately and then brought together at an assembly location. In addition to the regions, other components of a diaper (or other absorbent article) including waist and leg elastics, containment flaps and fasteners are brought together for assembly. One or more of the regions may be formed of several components which must be assembled. The retention region or absorbent core is most often formed by depositing absorbent fluff and superabsorbent material into a form which shapes the core. The bodyside liner, uptake and distribution region and barrier region may be formed from various known materials having the necessary functionality. Frequently, the materials of the aforementioned diaper components are quite different from each other. All of these various components are brought together into an assembly process to form the finished diaper. The manufacturer of the diaper must either make or purchase the various components and have suitable machinery to integrate them into the finished product.
It is known that polymer films are useful in making a variety of disposable absorbent articles because such films are relatively inexpensive to make and can be made to be strong, durable, flexible, soft and a barrier to liquids, such as water, blood and urine. For example, polymer films are used to make disposable personal care products such as diapers, adult incontinence items, feminine care absorbent products, children's training pants, bandages and the like. In particular, polymer films are suitable as outer covers for absorbent personal care products, and are also useful in making some types of garments and coverings for various articles. In the past various polymer films have been used as selected components in making absorbent articles, especially as covers for the cellulosic absorbent core. U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,438 entitled WATER DEGRADABLE MICROLAYER POLYMER FILM AND ARTICLES INCLUDING SAME, issued Sep. 12, 2002, discloses microlayer polymer films forming tiers of coextruded microlayer polymer laminates having both water degradable and non-degradable layers, and discloses a method of making such microlayer film laminates. U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,674 entitled BREATHABLE MICROLAYER POLYMER FILM AND ARTICLES INCLUDING SAME, issued Jul. 17, 2001, discloses a breathable microlayer film formed of coextruded microlayers of polymers useful for certain parts of absorbent articles. Microlayer polymer films and methods of making such films using a coextrusion system and process of splitting and stacking multiple microlayered films are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,071,450 issued Jun. 6, 2000 for METHOD FOR MAKING WATER DEGRADABLE POLYMER MICROLAYER FILM AND ARTICLES INCLUDING SAME. The disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,071,450, 6,117,438 and 6,261,674 are incorporated herein by reference.